Methods of determinig a communications range of an interrogator a wireless identification system and methods of verifying operation of a wireless identification system

• US 20020041235A1
• Filed: 10/18/2001
• Published: 04/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: David K. Ovard, Mark T Van Horn, Scott T. Trosper
• Inventors: Ovard, David K., Trosper, Scott T., Van Horn, Mark T.
• Granted Patent: US 6,545,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/654
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0222 Message structure or message content, e.g. message protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units

Abstract

This invention provides radio frequency identification devices, wireless communication systems, communication methods, methods of forming a radio frequency identification device, methods of testing wireless communication operations, and methods of determining a communication range. According to a first aspect, a radio frequency identification device includes a substrate; communication circuitry coupled with the substrate and configured to at least one of receive wireless signals and communicate wireless signals; and indication circuitry coupled with the communication circuitry and configured to indicate operation of the radio frequency identification device. A communication method according to another aspect includes providing a radio frequency identification device including indication circuitry; receiving a wireless signal within the radio frequency identification device; and indicating operation of the radio frequency identification device using the indication circuitry after the receiving.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification device comprising:

a substrate;

communication circuitry coupled with the substrate and configured to at least one of receive wireless signals and communicate wireless signals; and

indication circuitry coupled with the communication circuitry and configured to indicate operation of the radio frequency identification device.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the indication circuitry is configured to indicate at least one of reception of wireless signals and generation of wireless signals.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the indication circuitry comprises at least one light emitting device.

4. The device according to claim 1 wherein the communication circuitry comprises transponder circuitry.

5. The device according to claim 1 further comprising a housing over the substrate and the indication circuitry is configured to emit a human perceptible signal outside of the housing to indicate the operation.

6. The device according to claim 1 wherein the communication circuitry includes an integrated circuit defining a perimeter and the indication circuitry is provided within the perimeter.

7. A radio frequency identification device comprising:

a substrate;

communication circuitry coupled with the substrate and configured to at least one of receive wireless signals and communicate wireless signals; and

indication circuitry coupled with the communication circuitry and the indication circuitry is configured to emit a human perceptible signal to indicate operation of the radio frequency identification device.

8. The device according to claim 7 wherein the indication circuitry is configured to indicate at least one of reception of wireless signals and generation of wireless signals.

9. The device according to claim 7 wherein the indication circuitry is configured to emit a human visible signal to indicate operation of the radio frequency identification device.

10. The device according to claim 7 wherein the indication circuitry comprises at least one light emitting device.

11. The device according to claim 7 further comprising a housing over the substrate and the indication circuitry is configured to emit the human perceptible signal outside of the housing.

12. The device according to claim 7 wherein the communication circuitry includes an integrated circuit defining a perimeter and the indication circuitry is provided within the perimeter.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein the indication circuitry is configured to emit a human perceptible signal to indicate operation of the radio frequency identification device.

15. The system according to claim 13 wherein the indication circuitry is configured to emit a human visible signal to indicate operation of the radio frequency identification device.

16. The system according to claim 13 wherein the indication circuitry is configured to indicate at least one of reception of wireless interrogation signals and generation of wireless identification signals.

17. The system according to claim 13 wherein the indication circuitry comprises at least one light emitting device.

18. The system according to claim 13 further comprising a housing over the substrate and the indication circuitry is configured to emit a human perceptible signal outside of the housing to indicate the operation.

19. The system according to claim 13 wherein the communication circuitry includes an integrated circuit defining a perimeter and the indication circuitry is provided within the perimeter.

13. A wireless communication system comprising:

an interrogator configured to output a wireless interrogation signal; and

a radio frequency identification device configured to communicate with the interrogator and including;

communication circuitry configured to at least one of receive the wireless interrogation signal and communicate a wireless identification signal; and

indication circuitry coupled with the communication circuitry and configured to indicate operation of the communication device.

20. A radio frequency identification device comprising:

communication circuitry configured to at least one of receive wireless signals and communicate wireless signals, the communication circuitry including an integrated circuit defining a perimeter; and

indication circuitry coupled with the communication circuitry and configured to indicate operation of the radio frequency identification device, the indication circuitry being provided within the perimeter defined by the integrated circuit.

21. The device according to claim 20 wherein the indication circuitry is configured to indicate at least one of reception of wireless signals and generation of wireless signals.

22. The device according to claim 20 wherein the indication circuitry is configured to emit a human visible signal to indicate operation of the radio frequency identification device.

23. The device according to claim 20 wherein the indication circuitry comprises at least one light emitting device.

24. The device according to claim 20 wherein the communication circuitry comprises transponder circuitry.

25. The device according to claim 20 further comprising a housing over the communication circuitry and the indication circuitry is configured to emit a human perceptible signal outside of the housing to indicate the operation.

27. The method according to claim 26 further comprising generating a response signal using the radio frequency identification device and the indicating is responsive to at least one of the receiving and the generating.

28. The method according to claim 27 further comprising outputting a wireless signal responsive to the generating.

29. The method according to claim 26 wherein the providing comprises providing a radio frequency identification device including indication circuitry comprising a light emitting device and the indicating comprises emitting human visible light using the light emitting device.

30. The method according to claim 26 further comprising processing the wireless signal after the receiving and the indicating is responsive to the processing.

26. A communication method comprising:

providing a radio frequency identification device including indication circuitry;

receiving a wireless signal within the radio frequency identification device; and

indicating operation of the radio frequency identification device using the indication circuitry after the receiving.

31. A communication method comprising:

providing a radio frequency identification device having indication circuitry;

receiving a wireless signal within the radio frequency identification device; and

emitting a human perceptible signal using the indication circuitry to indicate operation of the radio frequency identification device after the receiving.

32. The method according to claim 31 further comprising generating a response signal using the radio frequency identification device and the emitting is responsive to at least one of the receiving and the generating.

33. The method according to claim 32 further comprising outputting a wireless signal responsive to the generating.

34. The method according to claim 31 wherein the emitting comprises emitting a human visible signal.

35. The method according to claim 31 wherein the emitting comprises emitting using a light emitting device.

36. The method according to claim 31 further comprising processing the wireless signal and wherein the emitting is responsive to the processing.

38. The method according to claim 37 wherein the indicating comprises emitting a human perceptible signal.

39. The method according to claim 37 wherein the indicating comprises emitting a human visible signal.

40. The method according to claim 37 wherein the emitting comprises emitting using a light emitting device.

41. The method according to claim 37 further comprising generating a response signal using the radio frequency identification device responsive to the receiving and the indicating is responsive to at least one of the receiving and the generating.

42. The method according to claim 41 further comprising outputting a wireless signal responsive to the generating.

43. The method according to claim 37 further comprising processing the wireless signal, and the indicating is responsive to the processing.

37. A communication method comprising:

providing a wireless communication system including an interrogator and a radio frequency identification device including communication circuitry and indication circuitry;

outputting a wireless signal using the interrogator;

receiving the wireless signal within the communication circuitry; and

indicating operation of the radio frequency identification device using the indication circuitry after the receiving.

44. A method of forming a radio frequency identification device comprising:

providing a substrate;

supporting communication circuitry using the substrate;

providing indication circuitry configured to indicate operation of the communication circuitry;

supporting the indication circuitry using the substrate; and

coupling the indication circuitry with the communication circuitry.

45. The method according to claim 44 further comprising providing a housing about at least a portion of the substrate with the indication circuitry at least partially outwardly exposed.

46. The method according to claim 44 wherein the providing indication circuitry comprises providing a light emitting device.

47. The method according to claim 44 wherein the providing indication circuitry comprises providing circuitry configured to emit a human perceptible signal.

48. The method according to claim 44 wherein the providing communication circuitry comprises providing transponder circuitry.

50. The method according to claim 49 further comprising generating a response signal using the radio frequency identification device and the indicating is responsive to a least one of the receiving and the generating.

51. The method according to claim 50 further comprising outputting a wireless signal responsive to the generating.

52. The method according to claim 49 wherein the indicating comprises emitting a human perceptible signal.

53. The method according to claim 49 wherein the indicating comprises emitting a human visible signal.

54. The method according to claim 49 wherein the indicating comprises emitting light using a light emitting device.

55. The method according to claim 49 further comprising processing the wireless signal after the receiving and the indicating is responsive to the processing.

57. The method according to claim 56 wherein the outputting a human perceptible signal includes outputting a human visible signal.

49. A method of testing wireless communication operations of a wireless identification system comprising:

providing a radio frequency identification device having indication circuitry;

outputting a wireless signal;

receiving the wireless signal within the radio frequency identification device; and

indicating the receiving using the indication circuitry of the radio frequency identification device.

56. A method of determining a communication range of an interrogator of a wireless identification system comprising:

providing a radio frequency identification device;

moving the radio frequency identification device throughout an area;

outputting a forward link wireless signal; and

outputting a human perceptible signal using the radio frequency identification device to indicate reception of the forward link wireless signal.

58. A method of determining a communication range of an interrogator of a wireless identification system comprising:

providing a radio frequency identification device;

providing an interrogator configured to communicate within a communication range;

moving the radio frequency identification device within an area including the communication range;

outputting a plurality of forward link wireless signals within the communication range using the interrogator;

receiving at least some of the forward link wireless signals within the radio frequency identification device responsive to the radio frequency identification device being within the communication range;

processing the forward link wireless signals after the receiving using the radio frequency identification device; and

outputting a visually perceptible signal, using the radio frequency identification device, to indicate reception of the forward link wireless signal.